EVERGREEN Worcestershire opener Daryl Mitchell revealed he hopes to repeat his century-making form of two seasons ago to ensure the Pears secure promotion back to English cricket’s top flight at the first attempt.
The experienced Pears batman amassed 1,266 runs at an average of 55.04 and recorded a personal best of seven hundreds during the title-winning campaign in 2017.
Those centuries, all scored in the Specsavers County Championship, were the highest number in a season by a Worcestershire batsman since 1996 when Tom Moody also made seven.
“It would be nice to replicate 2017, maybe not realistic but I’ll strive to get 100 every time I go out and bat. Hopefully I’ll get off to a good start and carry the momentum forward,” he said.
The 35-year-old made a great start to the season after notching up 114 in Worcestershire’s first innings at Grace Road.
“Looking around there weren’t too many getting 1,000 runs. I think I finished with 960 or something and four hundreds which is always pleasing as I pride myself on getting to three figures. I’d have liked to average 40, didn’t quite get there but decent from my point of view,” he said.
Worcestershire will be among the favourites for promotion this season but Mitchell said the side needed to play well to win games in the second tier.
“You’ve got to turn up and play well week in, week out. The league table never lies come the end of the season, I think we were rightly relegated we didn’t put in enough good or consistent performances throughout the year. We showed some glimpses of brilliance but didn’t quite nail it down often enough,” he said.
“It will be the same this year, we have got to play well to finish in the top three, you go out to win every game and hopefully we will win enough to win the competition.
“There are some good sides in division two, you look at Lancashire who came down with us and will no doubt have Jimmy Anderson available for them for part of the season.
“Middlesex are a big county, Sussex are a very good side particularly with their bowling attack. Durham are on the way back and Leicestershire had a good run last season – all good sides who could beat you on their day,” he added.